ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15504, 10 January 1914, Page 6 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

0, i [rBOM THE SOCIETY FiPERS.] j Mrs ii.ii Carver has been successful | in winning the handsome silver cup pre-1 sents! b\ the Khedive to the Khedivial Yacht Club, Alexandria. Mrs. Carver is , the only daughter of Colonel R. U. Shar- ; man Crawford, Vive Commodore of the ]{o\al I'li-ter Yacht Club. Before her; marriage her sailing of her father's yachts , on Belfast Lough v.as the admiration of . the yachting community on those waters. > Colonel STiarnun Crawford bought the j I.eda. a one design Star craft, and sent I her out to Alexandria, where his daughter j has steei'*! In to success in a race of great importance. This has not proved so far to be an autumn i,i bit; marriage* in London or the country (save an English writer), and the last few weddings were transatlantic j ones, though one of them took place in Switzerland. Each indeed had an international flavour, for though Miss Catherine hlkins married a faithful compatriot she is Known to fame for her courtship by the Duke of the Abruzzi, that advonturuus tnom-)er of tho Italian royal house whoso romance had so long it niggled vainly against family opposition that it is not surprising that Miss Elkins at last said good-bye to ambition and "the quiet man in the corner married the girl.'' Miss Nancy Leisliman's marriage with the Duke of Croy was also opposed, not by tho Kaiser as was stated but by tome of tho Austrian relations of the duke, who belongs to one of the mediatised families and is connected by marriage with Austrian royalty. Their ceremony, though conducted in French by a Catholic abbe, was quite American" in some ways. The Earl of Elgin was married a few weeks ago to Mrs. Frederick Ogilw, widow of Captain F. C. A. Ogilvy, R..N., and daughter of Commander W. Sherbrooke, K N., of Oxton Hall, Notts. Lord Elgin's first wife, who was a sister of the Earl of Southesk, died a little over four years ago. Lord Elgin is only a little over sixty, and is in tho prime of health and interest in life. Ho was Viceroy of India and Secretary of State for the Colonies, and may again enter public life, from which he has quite retired since his first wife's health became so precarious. His second daughter is the wife of Mr. Herbert Kinsaird Ogilvy, heir-presumptive to his brother. Sir Reginald Ogilvy, tenth baronet. Mrs. Ogdvy was widowed in the same year that Lord Eurin lost his wife, and wily two mouths later; she has one little girl in her eighth year. Lord Elgin has six sons; the eldest. Lord Bruce, is unmarried. Of life four surviving daughters, two are married. His family is of the same* origin as Robert the Bruce, and has playod a, conspicuous part in the history of Ikotlasd.

The Duke of Portland, who recently entertained Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria, had fine shooting at Welbeck to offer to his Imperial guest, whom His Grace and the Duchess had seen a good deal of in Austria earlier in the year. The Duchess of Eohenbcvg and the Countess Baiflet de Lstour are close friends, and the countess, who is a daughter of Count Segefroi Gary, is a great friend of the Duke and Duchess of Portland, with whom she stays frequently at Langwell as well as Welbeck. While with the duk© and duchess, the Duchess of Hohenberg and Countess Baiflet de Laiour could do- as they pleased about joining in the sport. Both are fair shots and all round sportswomen. The Duchess cf Portland does not shoot, but is very fond of Sabine. There is a great deal at Welbeck of great interest, especially to visitors from abroad, including th» underground rooms, approaches, ana riding school. The house itself is beautiful, and the gold and silver plate superb. There are many very fine pictures in tha Abbey. The Gothic room is odd, but the duchess's own rooms in the wing rebuilt after the' fire are lovely. The park is most beautiful and very extensive, and now. with the autumnal colourings at the brightest, it looks its best.

Princess Henry of Battenberg has gone into residence at Carisbrooke Castle, which is very much more to her liking than Osborne Cottage since Osborne House became a convalescent heme for officers and & training school for naval cadets. As a matter of fact, Her Royal Highness was always fascinated by the charming residential portion and the lovely grounds round it at historic Carisbrooke. The rooms are large, ami have been brought up-to-date in every way; there is privacy for the Royal occupant of the residential

and comparatively modern part of the castle from the visitors who go to see over the old rain.? Her Royal Highness has her sons frequently with her, and is said to be anxious that Prince Alexander should become a serious suitor for the hand of Princess Maud, of whom he saw a great deal when with Princess Henry at AboTgeldie Castle in the autumn. It would appear to be a most suitable marriage. His Highness, who is in th« Grenadier Guards, is now twenty-seven, and is a fine-looking, well-set-up young man, and a great favourite with his only sister, the Queen of Spain. The Princess Royal would doubtless be delighted ft Tiave her second girl settled in England. Princess Maud will be when twenty-five almart. equally well endowed with this world's goods as Princess Arthur of Connaught. Queen Victoria left the speciallyfine pheasant shooting in the wood at Osborne, extending for some miles, to Princess Henry for her sons. In Queen ■Victoria's and King Edward's lifetime the Osborne shoots were famous.